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In this special episode of the GenZ Podcast, host and Voice of the New Generation, Morissa Schwartz, interviews Lee and Mike Goldstein, creators of Zoo University, a coloring book for adults. Followed by some exclusive information about GenZ’s books and upcoming releases!

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It all started Saturday Morning with an Indie author panel at the Museum for Early Trades followed by partaking in the Madison Storyteller’s Festival in the afternoon. That night was the June Bug Festival in Metuchen, NJ. The very busy weekend was concluded on Sunday with a reading and workshop at Barnes & Noble.

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This is your guide to the gig economy: what it is, how it is revolutionizing work, what its future looks like, and what this can mean for you and your personal financial success.

The gig economy encompasses individuals performing freelancing ‘gigs,’ normally from the comfort of their own homes. Freelancer, Fiverr, and Upwork are among the most popular places for freelancers to find work; although, there are new freelancing opportunities every day. These types of gigs are giving people the freedom to work for themselves at any time and place that they please, as opposed to the traditional 9-5 model of office work. How will the gig economy affect the future of employment and entrepreneurship?

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There is a war going on, and it involves clashing publishing forms: self-publishing versus publishers. I have published books both ways, and in my experience, there is a clear winner. Before revealing that winner, let me break down each process.I self-published my first book in high school. All expenses were my own, but all profits (often not the case) were also my own. I hired someone to format the book on a freelancing website and worked many hours perfecting that book. Once it was time to publish, that was on me too. I published through CreateSpace, and the process was tough navigating through all the parameters to successfully publish a book, from figuring out proper formatting for book size to eBook conversion. After that, I had to promote and market my book. I was so excited that I was finally a published author, only….it felt like no one else saw it that way. Being self-published gave me no notoriety. I remember how embarrassed I was when I called a bookstore hoping to do a reading and they said that self-published authors were not allowed to do readings at their shop. Every other bookstore I contacted said the same thing. But it wasn’t just the shops who did not take my self-published work seriously. People had the attitude that it was “cute” that I published my own book at such a young age, but none went “wow.” Not to mention my profits or lack thereof. Being my own publisher meant that I had few resources to promote my book, which meant fewer sales for me. That is why when I wrote my next book, I knew it needed to be published with a publisher.

Finding a publisher is not an easy task, but I was fortunate enough to be signed by VIP Ink Publishing, a mid-sized publisher out of Louisiana. The week after I was signed, I was asked what I wanted my cover to look like, and then VIP created that cover. A short while after later, I was sent my files after they were carefully edited and formatted. Following that, I received my proof in the mail. The process was already better than self-publishing. I did not have to worry about how to hire someone to format my book or how to edit it properly. VIP did that for me. The best part was when I told people that my book was being published by VIP, I got the ‘wow.’ Bookshops approached me about having signings there. While of course there are profits to share with VIP and expenses that had to be recouped, I and my book are in much better shape than they were when I self-published. I have less worries and more notoriety.

That is why I started GenZ Publishing. I was fortunate to have VIP publish my book, but there are too few companies out there that publish authors like myself.

You pave the way for the future with the pride of having someone else believe enough in your work to publish it.

The main criticism that GenZ gets is that we recoup a portion of expenses from authors’ royalties. Those writers would have to pay every cent out of pocket if they were self-publishing while not getting the recognition or having the reach that we have. Another criticism we get is that we require our authors to purchase author copies of their books, but this is for the simple fact that we want them to do those bookstore readings that I didn’t get to do when I was self-published. I want them to walk into a university or bookshop with their book copies in hand and sign them for readers, so that they can get the amazing pride that comes with being a published author. So to answer the above question: publishing wins out over self-publishing in every way possible. Nothing beats a reader approaching you after a reading and stating how much you inspire them.

Being published by a publisher, even if there are not great profits for the author, paves the way for future opportunities. Young people and new writers do not seem to command the respect that many deserve for their writing unless they are published by someone other than themselves. Anyone can self-publish anything, no matter how grammatically incorrect, poorly formatted, or weak their content is. A first grader can self-publish their spelling test, but a publishing company wants to be successful and makes sure that each book is something that the world would like to read.

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“Last June, after graduating from Drew University, I was all set to begin my life as a grad student at NYU. I had my acceptance letter in hand when I decided that this was not actually the school for me. It was time for a new plan.

I was in the process of having VIP Ink Publishing publish my book, but at the same time, I saw so many young writers and students with talent not getting the recognition that they deserved. I realized how difficult it is for new and young writers to be published. And thus, GenZ Publishing was born.

I started writing up my business plan. I showed it to my father (Leon), an entrepreneur himself, who encouraged me more than anyone could possibly dream. He gave me advice and steered me in the right direction. I kept planning my business for months, while I began graduate study at Monmouth University. Then, VIP Ink released my book, and it became a bestseller. That reinforcement reignited my need to help other talented new writers get published.

I officially launched GenZ on November 23. I had no marketing budget or allowance. I only had my work ethic. I began promoting my new company via social media. I would often stay up until 4am, trying to find the perfect new writers for my company and ways to make GenZ a success.

Then, in December, I received an email from Kevin W. Peery who had written an incredible poetry book. I was a huge fan of Mr. Peery’s music (If you haven’t heard “Life’s Too Short,” you’re really missing out) and decided that he would be GenZ’s first published author. I am so glad I did.

Mr. Peery’s book is now in the top 10 of Amazon’s Hot New Releases for American Poetry, and I could not be prouder.

The past couple months have felt like years in how quickly GenZ has grown. We now have twelve signed authors and have gotten dozens of query letters in the past few weeks. The authors have formed an amazing community and are such talented and kind individuals. We are publishing everything from supernatural thriller to autobiographical inspirational books to YA sci-fi.

GenZ has grown so quickly to become something even better than I could have possibly imagined. I am so thankful and cannot wait to see what happens next.”

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A very special ‘Meet the Author’ event is scheduled in Morissa’s hometown of Woodbridge, NJ at the Sewaren Library. This event is very dear to Morissa as the sixth generation of her family to have grown up in Woodbridge.

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The new year is bringing some great talent to you. Morissa’s publishing company, GenZ Publishing, is preparing for the release of some great books in the beginning of the new year. Learn more about them here.

From GenZ Publishing:

R.J. Rogue will thrill you with this new spin on vampires in Evanescence, a book about a late-blooming vampire from New York named Evan, Macrae who has trouble accepting his reality. It is a supernatural, yet relatable novel that you won’t be able to put down.

Learn about growing up and how to get through even the toughest of times with K.W. Perry’s poetry collection, Tales of a Receding Hairline.Perry is a prolific musician, and his book of poetry is just as enthralling.

Thinking about writing a book? How about getting your writing published? Have you fallen victim to writer’s block? Then, the new bookWriting for the New Generation by GenZ Publishing founder and ‘Voice of Generation Z,’ Morissa Schwartz is the book for all you writers out there.

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Bestselling author, Morissa Schwartz, can guide you into writing the next great book. She offers consultations, editing and proofreading services, writing services, book formatting, and “readership” advice. 684 clients and counting have praised her services.

Contact Morissa for service pricing and plans at (732) 306-5995 or email MorissaSchwartz@gmail.com